Monday, November 10, 2014

Augusta, Maine- Remembering My Purpose

NOVEMBER 10

Family and Friends!!

How are you all?? Thank you so much for the emails, they truly made my day!! I'm serving in Augusta Maine right now! What a week.. haha thats all I can say, really! I have never had feelings like this in my entire life. All I can say is God is good and that homesickness is real. I've learned lessons this week that I will hold dear to my heart forever, and I hope to never forget. I wish I had more time to email you all what has been happening but I don't.

Augusta, Maine, is very very different from Utah. I think I figured out my plan after the mish is definitely living in Utah and close to the fam! My companion is name Sister Collins, and she is from Utah as well. Our plan is to change Augusta forever!! This area I'm in right now has my companion at I, and 4 more Elders in the ward. Its called the seed planting mission, where we hopefully can plant seeds of faith. The people are different here, most don't know what LDS missionaries are. We get called nuns alot or Jehovah Witnesses. Haha which is weird.. after they slam the door I just want to yell at them, and tell them that "I'm normal and have an amazing message to share with you!" Our ward is small, but great! The members are really good to us. We've had a few dinners with them which is awesome. Almost every house we go into have animals, mostly cats though.(It's a good thing Chel Rudd didn't come on this mission or they'd have to send her home for all her cat killing. Haha) Its really kinda gross, It was not my favorite thing to pull out a long black hair out of my corn bread this week, I'm just hoping it was the lady that fed us hair, and not her cats. Don't get me wrong though, I feel very blessed though to be serving in a place where there is normal food! The ward members have to really fight for there testimonies out here because there are so many people that aren't of any faith. I have heard some of the strongest testimonies since I've been here. The normal wear out here to church is some sweat pants, and crocs, lol.. I feel a little over dressed... but talk about great people!! Sorry this email is all over the place, so much to say and such little time.

Since I've got here I've been praying to Heavenly Father to help me see why I am here, and to show me my purpose. I have never had to pray so much in my life. I'm very thankful to be able to be out here and gain a stronger and closer relationship with God. This Saturday the missionaries were asked to help at this memorial service at the church. These people were all non members and knew nothing about the church. It was really neat for them to be at the church and to see what one looked like! Most of them had some pretty wicked dreads.. So mom don't be surprised if I come back in 1.5 with some new dreads.. ;) Anyways the moment I saw these people I absolutely fell in love with them. This guy died unexpectedly and it really surprised everyone there. My heart seriously broke for each one of them because they don't know what I know, that there is life after death. It was so sad to hug them and try to give them hope that everything will be alright. That's when my purpose hit me, I Sister Bee am here to give people hope and to let them know what we know. A mission is hard, very hard, I have to pray for strength everyday to endure it, but all is well cause the Lord is on my side. I Taylie could not do this alone, but with Heavenly Father by your side, I know we can do anything. I bawled through the whole funeral, and I was so confused why? I didn't really know the people there, or the guy that passed. But then it hit me, I'm a representative of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ mourns with us when we're sad, he truly knows how we feel and what we're going through. I'm thankful that Christ showed me just a little way at that funeral of how he feels for us. I then noticed that when I was going through some of the hardest things I had ever gone through at the first of the week, that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father were by my side. I know they are by us all, they're there to comfort us, and to make things better. He will help us and help us get through hard things. I wouldn't have made it through this week with out Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know that they want to be with us at all times because they care for us. All we have to do is pray and ask.

I'm so happy to be out here! Things are good! Of course I miss you all so very much.. but we'll see each other soon! Have a good week and please keep me updated, I loved hearing from everyone. I know this church is true, and I'm thankful for this opportunity I have to be out here on a mission. I Know that Heavenly Father is there for you at all times, He loves us more than you know! Anddd I love you more than you know!! Have a good week.

-Sister Bee

The Sisters and Taylie who shared a room at the MTC. She said they all grew close and it was hard to say goodbye!

Winter and Fall in Maine! She will be putting her coat and boots to good use this freezing Winter.